The Horrors We Hide
by EmeraldWarden
Summary: Dalish elf Ellana Lavellan attempts to keep her past hidden from the Inquisition, but when she falls for the Ben-Hasserath Qunari she struggles to hide the horrors she faced.
1. Chapter 1

The breeze that came off the Waking Sea chilled the Tevinter man to the bone, not that he would admit to it. Of course, the Chief would likely see him freezing his ass off by the shore and tease him knowingly. He should have brought a cloak with him, his long shirt and trousers barely keeping him warm. The former soldier was keen at hiding things from others but the Qunari was an exception. The big brute was obnoxious, crude, and violent, but all the same he was caring, loyal, and trustworthy. Krem shook his head with a tiny smile on his face. He looked up to where he supposed the sun was under the mass of clouds. Trustworthy. He just thought of a Qunari spy as trustworthy. Never believed that would happen. There were multiple incidents when this rang true but the one the man remembered and cherished the most was the night the Chief had saved him from his impending death. He smiled for a single moment, but the moment was fleeting for the sea sprayed him with a foamy mist, soaking him from head to toe. Bitterly cold, he turned away from the water back to The Charger's camp. He passed Dalish and Skinner whispering to each other like school girls outside their tent as he walked through the camp. Or rather Dalish was whispering excitedly and the city elf just grunted in confirmation. He gave the tattooed elf a questioning look over his shoulder before he stepped into his shabby sleeping area. The man wondered where the others were at this time.

On a crate he used as a makeshift bedside table was a piece of worn piece of cloth. He sat down on his bedroll, grabbing the rag at the same time. He wiped down his face and other bits of exposed skin. The one time he hadn't worn his armor he got absolutely drenched. He laid down on his roll, suddenly very sleepy. It was decided that he could ignore his duties for a little while longer. Or so he thought.

"Krem!" The Iron Bull's call echoed through the camp. The Tevinter thought that likely anyone on the coast had heard it as well. Begrudgingly, the man got up and stalked out of his tent. The leader of The Charger's stood just a few feet outside of his lieutenant's tent.

"Chief?" A drizzle had started and the few others that had been about had taken refuge in their tents. "What's up?"

"The last village we were in I heard some gossip. It was about the Inquisition. Ever heard of it?" Iron Bull wandered towards the shore for a bit of privacy. Krem followed behind at s respectable distance.

"Can't say I have, Chief."

"Well, with all the shit going on between the Mages and the Templars someone's got to keep the peace. The conclave was a bust, literally. Big explosion. No survivors, save one."

"Really?" This was news to Krem. They had been traveling through Ferelden for sometime now and received little to no word on the happenings of the rest of Thedas.

"Yeah. They're calling that person the Herald of Andraste. I didn't get the details on exactly who he or she is. But this order was founded in honor of the Herald to restore order across Thedas. Blah, blah, blah." The Qunari man stopped far enough from the water from getting hit but close enough to smell fish and salt. Krem looked up to the giant, waiting for him to continue. "I think it would be in our best interests to get hired on."

"Not a terrible idea, but it sounds like a Chantry thing. I mean, Herald of Andraste?"

Iron Bull grunted. "I know, but with the war going on this is our best shot at getting paid."

"So do you want me to send word? Or is our next stop their base?"

"Actually-" Bull's serious demeanor faltered for a second.

"No,"

"Krem-"

"Send someone else,"

"But-"

The Tevinter man remembered when the Iron Bull had saved him. Since then he had refused to go on a quest solo. "Chief, the last time I traveled on my own I was-"

"I know. Look maybe Dalish can enchant your horse so it's invisible." He shrugged his large shoulders and gave Krem a pleading look.

The human gave a single laugh. "I don't think that's how it works. Can't you send someone else?"

"Hmm," Bull scratched the back of his head, thinking of ways to sway his lieutenant rather than the thought of a different option."How about for a bottle of Chasind Sack mead?"

Krem gave his leader a glare knowing that he wouldn't change his mind on this. "Fine. I'll leave tonight." Map in hand, Krem took one of the large horses that the Charger's had and headed south for Haven.

"Ah, Lady Levellan! A word?" Josephine got up from her desk when she saw the elf headed for the war room. The Herald, known as Ellana to her clan, was small, even for an elf. In her lifetime she had speculated that the average female elf height was around five feet tall when fully mature. She came in at four feet, barely taller than most dwarves. And, like most elves, she was lanky. It came to a surprise to most people when they found out this small young woman wielded a two handed axe nearly bigger than herself. The ambassador found her especially interesting.

"I'm rather busy at the moment." Ellana said without making eye contact. Josephine was friendly, too friendly in the elf's opinion. There were many people in Haven that spoke to her bluntly or even harsh, but she preferred the honesty than the false pleasantries. Ellana knew that she would have to warm up to these people in time, but now was not that time. "Can it wait?"

"It will only take five minutes or so." The dark skinned woman looked down at the small, pale one with upturned brows. Ellana pursed her lips before she nodded curtly. Josephine have her an awkward sort of bow then led her into her office. She sat at her large desk, and Ellana stood in front of it, pacing slowly with her arms crossed over her small chest.

"I would like to know if anyone has treated you unkindly here. For being an elf."

A snort escaped the standing woman. "I can deal with it. Hushed whispers and sideways looks are things that most elves are used to."

Josephine shook her head. "I will speak with the staff about such conduct. If we are to convince the world that the Herald of Andraste is an elf, the Inquisition must give you it's utmost support. Stories of 'wild Dalish elves' have grown more outrageous when the stories of you have spread."

"How so?" Ellana's undying hatred for Shemlen and their like seemed to grow.

"I would not like to repeat such rumors." She ducked her head, blushing.

The elf sighed. "Alright. Anything else?"

"Uh, yes," Josephine ruffled through some papers, searching. "Your clan. The Inquisition would like some information about them."

Steely grey eyes met Josephine's for the first time during the conversation. She bluntly asked, "Why?"

"They have made contact with a few scouts so they could send word. There's a letter around here somewhere or was it in the war room?" She said the last part mostly to herself. "Anyway, we need the information so we know if we need to send money, troops, or-"

"So what you're asking is if we're poor?" Josephine gulped and looked away from her eyes full of ice. "We lived on our own, so, no, we weren't particularly wealthy."

"Ah," The ambassador found a certain report. "I remember reading in a letter that bandits have attacked your clan."

"In the past it was common. When I led our scouts the attacks stopped. Undoubtedly they will begin again."

"What would these bandits do?" Josephine's head was down.

"Steal, kill," Ellana's struggled over the next word. It dug deep into her bringing up bad memories. "Rape."

"Truly?"

Ellana's breath hitched as she thought about what she had to leave behind. Her eyes glazed over. It had been nearly two months since she had seen her family, seen him. "Yes."

"I believe I have all the information that I need. In the next coming days we will discuss a course of action to aid your clan." Josephine looked up then to see a tear spring out of one of Ellana's wide eyes. "Herald? Are you alright?"

She swiped away the salt water from her tattooed cheek. "Very much so. I just really appreciate the help."

"Of course," The Antivan woman returned to her paperwork, not dwelling on the strange burst of emotion. The elf nodded to herself then strode out of the room. Before Josephine had called to her she had planned on going to the war room. Now, memories a stir inside of her like a great monsoon, she was aimed out the Chantry's doors.

"Herald, a word?" Ellana stopped in her tracks mere inches from stepping outside. Her head lolled to the side to look at Vivienne.

She trudged over to the small alcove the mage spent her days in. "My Dear, I wish to ask you you're opinion on Mages and the Circle."

Ellana's mouth hung open at the odd question. _What do they feed these humans? So random. _"I am not a mage."

"I am well aware of that fact," The First Enchanter scoffed.

"So why does my opinion matter?"

"You are the Herald of Andraste," She said this, waiting for an word of denial from the small elven woman. Ellana had denied it too many times to count and simply had given up. "If I am the first to ask you then I think it would be beneficial to you to practice what you say very carefully least you have to answer the same question by nobles, politicians, or the Imperial Majesty herself."

Ellana rose a single eyebrow to herself, wondering who the Imperial Majesty was but didn't say anything in the chance she would look uneducated as most people assumed Dalish were. "I suppose it would be safer for the rest of Thedas that mages, those who are not apostates, should be spread between the Chantry and the Circle."

"You say you grew up with the Dalish your entire life, yet you are well aware of the rest of the world. You know of the Chantry, the Circle, apostates." Her voice grew bitter on the last word. "Why is that?"

"My sister, Basaya, she's our Keeper's first. She reminds me of you a bit." Ellana smiled a small sad smile. "Anyway, when the Keeper taught her all of this she would tell me all about it."

"Is your sister much younger than you?" Vivienne asked rather intrigued that the Herald was allowing her into a glimpse her past.

"Older, actually," Ellana smiled wider at thought of her goofy sister. "Only two years, so it's hard to tell. We look very different. She has dark, dark hair which she keeps cropped short to her chin. She always claimed it got in the way when she was casting."

"Ah, is she a primal mage then?"

Ellana's head tilted to the side in wonder at how she knew. "Yes."

"Fire catching on hair is a common thing for primal mages. Nasty smell." When Vivienne said it seemed she had experienced it firsthand, touching her finely shaved scalp carefully.

Ellana thought about that for a moment. Her hand moved subconsciously to her braided blond hair. The differences between the two sisters had bothered her for most of her life. It had caused a great deal of conflicts between them as they grew older and growing their separate ways: Basaya training to be the next Keeper, Ellana leader of the small group of scouts clan Levellan had. Yet after a disastrous bandit attack on Ellana and her scouts, the elder sister had helped her through the recovery process. Not that anyone in Haven was aware of it, but the result of that ambush had changed the elf's life. The Herald grimaced when a tugging sensation pulled on her heart. She should be with her clan, with her loved ones. The elf looked up at Vivienne who had been waiting for a reply of some sort. "What were we talking about?"

"I was asking after your opinion of mages and you have given it. That is all." Vivienne turned her back away from the elf, the conversation abruptly over.

Krem dismounted off of the large horse when he reached the front gates of Haven. Soldiers stopped him briefly on his way inside the village to ensure that he would not come to harm anyone. Since the information Bull had gave him about this Herald was brief, the Tevinter had no clue as to whom he was supposed to speak to about being hired on. He stopped to ask a beardless dwarf who was in charge.

"Depends on who you ask," He replied then offered him a hand. "The name's Varric Tethras."

"Cremisius Aclassi." Krem shook hands with the dwarf, bending down uncomfortably to reach to compensate for the height difference.

"Fancy name. The lady you're looking for should be in the Chantry." Varric jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to the holy building. "Just try not to piss her off."

"Any advice on how not to do that?" Krem asked with a sly smile.

The dwarf returned that smile. "I like you, Fancy name. Just try to be straightforward and things will go your way."

"I appreciate the help. It was nice to meet you," The Lieutenant two the steps two at a time. The workers about gave him polite nods or smiles as he walked by. Perhaps the Chief was actually spot on when it came to this order. The Chantry's doors loomed before the man. Was he to knock? Simply walk in? The Inquisition looked promising so far and he really didn't want to screw things up for The Chargers. So, after a minute or two of standing in front of the doors, Krem stepped just outside of them and waited. For what was unclear.

It didn't take long for something to happen. An elf thrusted open the doors from inside the Chantry making the man jump. Tattoos covered the entirety of her face, and immediately he knew that the woman was part of the dalish. She wore chainmail armor with thigh high boots. Judging from her stone hard expression, Krem assumed this was the woman that the dwarf had informed her of. He felt a flutter of his heart just as he did whenever he was in the presence of a woman he found attractive. "Uh, Excuse me?"

The elf turned her head sharply to him. At the sight of him, her lip curled distastefully. "By the Creators, another human. Can't I have a moment of peace?"

Krem swallowed and swear he could feel a bead of sweat roll down his forehead even in the chilly little village. "I can, maybe, um, come back later?"

"No, no." She threw her hands up in frustration. "What is it then?"

"My merc, I mean, mercenary group was hoping to be hired on by the Inquisition." Krem shifted on his feet nervously.

"And what makes you any different from other mercenary bands?" The woman gave him a scrutinizing look which made him look at his feet. "Many think mercenaries are no better than common bandits, or worse, thieves."

He took a solid deep breath. "We're a diverse bunch: dwarves, humans, a qunari, and elves. The Chargers, us, we accept all. Our leader, The Iron Bull, is with the rest of the group back up near the Storm Coast. There are supposed to some Tevinter bandits up there. You should come check us in action when you get the chance."

The elf softened her gaze a bit at how hard he was trying to please her. It was not something she was used to seeing. "Who are you, may I ask?"

"Cremisius Aclassi, My Lady, Lieutenant of the Chargers." He stole a quick look up at her to see she had a sweet smile on her face.

"I look forward to meeting this Iron Bull. I'll see you there, Cremisius Aclassi."


	2. Chapter 2

A shiver started to tremble up the Elven woman's spine but she managed to conceal it from her companion. The Seeker had been trailing behind for the greater part of their journey north to the Storm Coast, keeping to herself. Due to the fact that Sera and Vivienne had been bickering the entire time, Ellana was also on the quiet side, to her dismay. Her thoughts were in a tangle in her mind, bad memories not allowing her to think clearly. With each step she took, she was getting closer and closer to home, to her loved ones. Of course, the Waking Sea was in the way of the Free Marches, and there was no way in hell the Inquisition would allow her to travel back in the middle of the whole Breech crisis.

It had gotten warmer as they traveled north, the snow turning to rain, then drizzling off and on as they marched. However, as the water fell from the sky with a greater pace, Ellana was forced to pull her cowl tightly around her chilled panel of advisors insisted that if she were not to wear a helmet (which she preferred not to), she would at least wear a Mage's cowl. She assumed that they thought that she wouldn't understand their true intention to this. _They needn't bother,_ she thought glumly. If her large ears weren't a dead giveaway to her race then her heavily tattooed face certainly was. "You trained with the Seekers, yes?"

"Yes." There was an uncomfortable beat of silence before the human continued. "It was a strenuous process. But my devotion to the Chantry has led me down the path to becoming a templar."

Ellana nodded approvingly. "That's a very serious decision. One mustn't take such a thing lightly. I imagine you have thought about this for some time now?"

"I have. Have you ever thought about specializing in something, Herald?"

The elf thought for a brief moment, then shook her head. "I don't suppose I have."

"Why is that, if I may ask?" Cassandra looked behind her to Sera and Vivienne whom were now arguing about Sera's fashion sense.

"I've been-" The Dalish cut off mid thought, for she heard fighting in the distance. Angry cries, clanging of swords, loud crashes. Ellana had stopped walking to listen, causing Cassandra to walk into her. The elf gave her an icy glare then shot an angry look at the two noisy women who were following up the rear. They silenced themselves instantly. Sera unlatched her bow from her back, grabbing an arrow swiftly out of her quiver. The mage twirled her staff in her hands, lightning crackling at the tip. The Herald glanced then back to the Seeker, who had drawn her sword. Ellana continued her way down the rocky coast towards the sounds of fighting making her draw her large axe.

The quartet of women charged around a bend of rock that revealed a mass of soldiers fighting. At a quick glance Ellana could see the difference between the two parties: a ragtag group of varying sizes against a couple brutish looking soldiers: Tevinters. The Herald's lip curled at the sight of the familiar gothic armor that Tevinters favored so. One soldier caught sight of the charger warriors, Cassandra and Ellana for Vivienne and Sera held back for a wider range of targets, and started towards the smaller of the two. A wicked laugh erupted out of the elf's throat; battle always seemed to give her an excited thrill. The Tevinter's face contorted from a look of concentration to awe just before the butt of Ellana's axe smashed his nose. Blood soon covered the man's face, distracting him long enough for him to drop his sword allowing Ellana to dig her axe in his chest. _One down. _

Another soldier saw that his comrade had been dealt with and charged the petite woman. A girlish giggle escaped her lips, making Cassandra give her incredulous look, obviously thinking she was insane. A bony elbow clad in chainmail made contact with the Tevinter's chin with a crunch. When the man fell to a knee, Ellana brought her great axe, dripping in fluids, over her shoulder and heaving in the side of his neck.

"Save some for the rest of us!" said a deep, lighthearted voice a few feet from where the Herald stood over now two dead bodies. Glancing up, she saw it came from a giant. No, not a giant. A Qunari. Only having seen one before from a distance, Ellana ate up the sight. The man had to be at least seven and a half feet tall with large horns protruding out of his head directly over his shoulders. His skin, a faint greyish purple, was scarred in many places, including his face where one eye was covered with an eyepatch. Just as her, he had a wide grin on his face and a large weapon in his hands, but instead of an axe it appeared to be a large stick with a hunk of metal on the end, multiple jagged edges in different places. The Dalish was impressed for the first time since she had left her clan. At that moment when she was about to reply to his snarky comment, he snarled, "Duck!"

As she did as the giant commanded she sensed someone rushing behind her. Letting go of her axe, she lithely dipped to one knee and stuck the other out, tripping her pursuer who fell flat on his face. The Qunari took his chance and smashed his gnarly looking weapon into the back of the soldier. Gripping the handle of her axe, Ellana stood, prepared for the next attacker only to find that the battle was over. She could feel her lip pouting involuntarily as she slid her axe back onto her back.

"Krem! What's the status?" barked the horned man

The soldier Ellana had encountered at Haven strode over with a helmet underneath his arm and sweat clinging to his forehead. "Four out of six wounded, Chief. No dead."

"Excellent," The Qunari looked around for a moment and, seeming to have spotted what he was looking for, walked straight past Ellana to Cassandra. "You must be her!"

The Seeker's lip curled in disgust, and a snort came out of Sera's mouth. The real Herald crossed her arms irritably over her chest. Krem gave a panicked look from the elf to his leader and cleared his throat. "Uh, Chief?"

Krem pointed to Ellana just as the Seeker strode off helping Sera look for any salvageable arrows.

Whatever good impression the Qunari had made on her during battle was now lost. Of course, even from a Qunari who were shown the same amount of respect as elves (little to none), would expect the Herald of Andraste to be a human. Consider the scandal should it be anything, but a good and pure Andrastian. Ellana's face seemed to turn to stone at the thought of this. The horned man scratched the back of his head bashfully then coughed. His lieutenant went up close to him and they exchanged a few brief words before the young man left to tend to the others. The Qunari closed the distance between him and the elf in two long strides. "So, uh, you've seen us fight?"

The elf nodded, pursed lips saying that she was not easily impressed.

"We're expensive but worth it. If you hired us on, I would be your personal body guard. If you desired so, I mean," He continued. Ellana, still offended, glanced out at the Waking Sea, the overcast sky catching her attention. What she would do to be back home. "Uh, I don't think we've ever been properly introduced."

"No, we haven't," She pulled her hood down to reveal her heavily tattooed face and obnoxiously large ears covered with numerous piercings. Swiftly, a hand shot out for him to shake. "Ellana of clan Lavellan, also known as the Herald of Andraste."

The man's eyebrows rose slightly, surprised at either her formality or her appearance. He shook her hand, his nearly three times the size, but both rough and calloused from battles old and recent. "The Iron Bull, Chief of the Chargers. Ben-Hasserath."

"You've got a notable group." She said stiffly, not bothering herself to inquire about the foreign Qunari term. "I'd be glad to welcome you into the Inquisition."

"Chargers! Let's head out! Looks like we just got signed," The Iron Bull called over his shoulder to his soldiers.

"But Chief," Krem shouted back, "We just opened up the casks. With _axes._"

"You're Tevinter aren't you? How about you try blood magic!" The snide remark got a chuckle out of a few of his party, but none from the members of the Inquisition. Ellana's stony expression evaporated into a look of shock and anger at this newfound information, shooting a look at Krem. The Lieutenant noticed this, and, blushing furiously, glanced away from the beautiful woman. A stabbing sensation clanked inside the elf's chest, nothing she had ever felt before. She had felt something close to affection for Cremisius, but to find out where he hailed from…

When the Iron Bull went to check on his party to see them off to Haven, the Herald turned towards the sea once more. The salt was heavy in the air, the water gently spraying her armor clean of the tarnish she had encountered during battle. The warrior took a deep breath in, closing her eyes, remembering home.

"Are you alright, My Dear?" A kind voice was suddenly next to her, and she flinched, eyes opening with a harsh snap. Vivienne stood, closer than expected, concern written on her face. "You seem troubled."

"Yes, well. Qunari are definitely just as pleasant as I've been told." Ellana grimaced and crossed her arms over her chest. For a brief moment, she thought Iron Bull would've been an excellent companion but that had been before he had opened his mouth. She saw past Vivienne; the large man was helping an elven woman with a gashing wound, gently pressing a bandage to her forehead. A smile graced her long face at the kind action.

"If I didn't know you better my dear, I would say you are ogling that brute." The Knight-Enchanter smiled at the elf, watching her usually pale face turn scarlet.

"How dare- I would- that beast-"

"Is very handsome, yes! However, I wouldn't suggest any sort of relationship. No, no, that would be much too scandalous, Dear! Considering you are _paying _him."

Ellana turned, fuming, from her and strode off to where Cassandra and Sera were cleaning their weapons. The other elf, who hadn't been too fond of the Herald, saw her red face and an idiotic smile broke out across her face. "What you on about?"

"None of your damn business!" Shrieked the miniscule elf loud enough for everyone within Ferelden to hear. The Chargers, minus Krem, looked over, amused at the outbreak of such a calm looking woman. Ellana took a deep breath and said barely loud enough for the Iron Bull to hear. "Vivienne will accompany your mercenaries to Haven. My party will be traveling along the coast for a few nights before returning. We will be leaving shortly."

"Krem," Bull muttered spurring an agitated look from his second. "I know you said she was pretty but I mean _holy shit!_"

"She's something alright." Cremisius finished cramming the last tent into its bag with a huff. His head lolled to the side to see if the Herald was near. Shame of his heritage was still at the forefront of his mind.

Bull laughed quietly. "Looks like someone's got a crush."

After giving the Qunari an evil glare, the Tevinter rounded up the rest of the Chargers and made their travel to the Inquisition base, an irritable mage leading the way. Iron Bull had to admit to himself that it was going to be strange without them.

"Oi!"

Iron Bull and Krem turned to see entalthree temperamental looking women standing shoulder to shoulder, all with varying expressions. One human, two elves. One archer, two warriors. With him included, he would be the only male. A lump in his throat formed."Uh, yeah?"

The other elf with short cropped hair and dwarven features said, "You ready? We need to get a move on. Haven't got all day."

spinning on her toe towards the west, Turning on her toe, Ellana spun towards the West, walking at a brisk The rest of the group trailed behind, the Iron Bull at the very back. Rain had begun to pour harder, forcing her to pull her cowl back over her head. Cassandra began to march along beside her again.

"Have you given any thought about becoming a Reaver?" The Seeker asked Ellana as if their previous conversation hadn't been interrupted.

"No, it's a rather nasty process from what I've been told. Never really fancied myself to drink blood."

"Nor I, but the powers, I hear, are quite extraordinary."


	3. Chapter 3

While they traveled the coast together, Ellana and her party learned some things about their new companion. The Ben-Hasserath were a set of spies in the Qunari, yet sometimes they hired mercenaries. Also, yes, he has always been that big. He denied answering Sera's question about exactly _how _big he was. According to him, he had made, 'Bull's Edge' (his weapon of choice for the time being) himself. And Krem-

"Is it odd having her in the mercenaries?" asked Cassandra awkwardly changing the subject of weapon crafting. It seemed that she had been holding in the question for some time, finally getting relief as it crossed her lips even if the relief did make her blush wildly.

"He isn't a she, and no, it's not weird," said the Qunari gruffly to the Seeker. He would have much rather have been talking about weapons it seemed.

Ellana came to a sudden halt and spun quickly towards the two, very confused. "Wait, what?"

"She means my lieutenant," Bull explained, glowering at the dark haired warrior, who now fully regretted even bringing it up.

The Herald looked at Cassandra quizzically. "What about him?"

"He's not a he!" Yelled Sera a few yards away, lacing up her boot that had become untied from the treacherous hike through the mountains.

"Yes, he is!" The Iron Bull huffed, exasperated. The archer walked over to the rest of the group, watching Ellana, amused at her innocent confusion. Turning his gaze from the archer to the Herald, the Qunari squirmed out an explanation. "Look, he deserted the Tevinter army because of what he is, so now he's with me."

Ellana crossed her arms, thinking hard. "And what exactly _is _he?"

Sera grinned from ear to pointed ear by her side, watching the Iron Bull writhe under the befuddled Herald's stare. "I'm not explaining this to a kid,"

The laughter from Sera died out; it was Cassandra's turn to glare at the Qunari. A single strand of pale blonde hair had flown between Ellana's eyebrows; she blew it out of her face as she stormed away from the three. The other two women followed suit, leaving Bull alone. It appeared that he had hit a nerve.

* * *

Later in the evening, a fire blazed before the party of four. Ellana was cleaning her axe with oil, removing all of the foul Tevinter blood from it's pristine edges. The Iron Bull and Sera had become friends in a short amount of time, sitting close next to each other by the fire, laughing at one another's jokes . Across from them Cassandra and the Herald sat, the former awkwardly eating her stew.

"Herald," The Seeker said cautiously. The elf looked up from her menial task with a seething glare. "You should eat,"

The elf said a clear no with her icy eyes. She threw her oil and cleaning rag back into her sack and pulling out her grinding stone. While the other three finished their meals, Ellana sharpened either edge of the giant axe, the piercing noise of it silencing them all, leaving it being the only sound of the night other than the sea lapping down shore.

It had grown dark very fast, the storm moving past them to the south, leaving nothing in the sky but vibrant stars against a stark navy. A howl of a wolf cried out through the valley just as the moon made its appearance through some tall pines.

"I'll take first watch," Ellana mumbled to the air. Cassandra, it seemed, had been planning to go to bed, sneaking off to her tent in a haste. The two across the fire hushed themselves off to bed as if they were scolded children, leaving the Dalish alone. Soon the snores of the Qunari filled the encampment. When she thought that her companions were all for sure asleep, Ellana grabbed a piece of wood just a few inches in diameter by five or six tall and started whittling it into a figurine, singing in elvhen as she went. The flames of the fire had died down, so it left her in a very unfit state to be wielding a knife. However, she did not have the care to put away her distraction.

"_Elagara vellas, da'len,_

_Melava sominar_

_Mala taren aravas_

_Ara ma'desen melar," _

Inside his single tent, Bull stirred from his sleep, snoring stuttering to a halt. The high voice was soft and rang through the nights air, crisp and clear. It hadn't been what had awoken him ( a dream of which he would not like to admit to) but now that he was awake he felt an urge to relieve himself. Out by the fire, Ellana took no notice of the sudden stillness, continuing her song. In her hands the wood started to take a defining shape of a figure, a woman.

"_Iras ma ghilas, da'len_

_Ara ma'nedan ashir_

_Dirathara lothlenan'as _

_Bal emma mala dir," _

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Bull sat up from his roll and listened to the sweet tune in the foreign tongue. He grabbed a pair of trousers and shrugged them onto his massive legs. There was a stumble as he got out of his tent, his horns sticking onto the tent top. Still, the Herald sang, the scuffle either ignored or unheard, most likely being the latter. Bull managed to untangle himself from the fabric then saw Ellana sitting in the ember light, knife in hand.

"_Te'enfenim, da'len_

_Irassal ma ghilas_

_Ma garas mir renan_

_Ara ma'athlan vhenas _

_Ara ma'athlan vhenas" _

The Dalish had finished her rough carving at the same moment her voice quieted itself. The woman was an elf, holding a bundle in her arms, a baby. Ellana gulped, trying to wetten her now dry, dry throat. A shudder rolled its way up her spine, chilling her to the bone. On impulse, she threw the carving into the remnants of what was a fire. The embers ate hungrily at the fresh wood, the elven woman's obscure face turning to a char. Ellana struggled to take a breath through her nose. Bull shifted his weight, staring at her still, but from his movement a branch snapped. The elf's piercing eyes met his form with a flash

"I have to um," Bull motioned to the woods, taking his eye off of her to look at the darkened area, yet the elf remained staring at the man, her jaw taught. He huffed out a breath, trying to find a better word for- "I gotta take a piss,"

Ellana pursed her lips. She shrugged, standing up and brushing off the dirt on her armor. "Since you're up, it's your watch, _Sir._"

Iron Bull cringed at her emphasize on the word. The tiny elf strided her way past his massiveness to her own tent. Inside her tent she stripped herself of her armor and snuggled into her bedroll. Unlike usual, it was uncomfortable, (she was used to sleeping in a tent in the middle of nowhere) the ground hard, the fabric scratching against her smooth as silk skin. It would be a long night for the Herald.


	4. Chapter 4

Early in the morn, Cassandra had been assigned to take front to the South for Haven. The mounts had been taken already by the Charges the day previous, so it would be a journey on foot. Sera was not feeling up to leading up the rear today, Ellana's agitation remaining from the afternoon before, so she stayed by the Seekers side for most of the day. That left the Qunari with a weary eyed Herald.

It was hours before Iron Bull could work up the courage to speak again to the elf, fearing her brutality. They had stopped just past the Frostback Mountains for a break. Iron Bull saw his opportunity. Ellana was running her canteen through a stream to collect some of the fresher water. The Qunari came up behind her. "I like your axe,"

"Excuse me?" Ellana gawked at the man. "You like my _what?_"

"Axe! I said axe. Your sword! Not your butt, I mean maybe you do have a nice," He gestured to her butt.

Caping her canteen, Ellana crossed her arms. "What do you want, Brute?"

Sucking on his cheek, "I'll ignore that remark. I just want to get on a better start with you,"

The elf thought for a moment. What would her clan think now of her? Seeing her befriending Shems and Qunari alike? _Like it matters now. _"Alright,"

"Herald? We are on the move again," Cassandra called over her shoulder. The elf puffed out a long stream of air as she strapped her canteen back to her hip. Bull waited until she was all settled to start following the others who were already far ahead.

"What's it like living under the Qun?" Ellana started.

The Iron Bull smiled. This was going to get interesting.

* * *

Haven loomed in the distance, the frozen lake blocking the path straight through. The Seeker took the long way round while Sera wondered about the forest for a bit. That left Ellana and Bull together who seemed very keen with each other since that morning. In all that time she had barely cracked a smile, but just as Haven was in view the Iron Bull finished telling her a story about one of the less fortunate adventures of the Chargers.

"Krem and I were left tied upside down, naked, to the pillars of some Orleasian Chantry, a piece of paper tacked onto my chest signed '_With Regards, The Crows'_," At this Bull and his companion were climbing over a boulder to get to the path when suddenly Ellana snorted loudly and howled with laughter, slipping and losing her grip on the rock surface. She declined to the earth, a short fall, yet the Iron Bull dived after her. Even as she lay on the ground her roaring laughter did not halt. The Qunari grinned at her finally letting herself loosen up. With little effort he picked her up and stood her on her feet. This made the cowl covering her head and ears fall down to her shoulders.

The elf whipped a tear from her eye. "That's hilarious."

"I'm glad you think so," Bull said seeing her face clearly now in the full daylight. "Took Krem awhile to think the same."

He couldn't help but stare; she stared right back, her rosy lips smiling still. Her tattooes covered most of her face, like roots or vines or _something_. They seemed to travel down her neck leading to other places (perhaps more intimate places, Bull thought). But also on her face were many vicious scars, some deeper than others, some darker than others, revealing their newity. One had carved itself thin and deep in her cheek up to her ear. It made her young features seem a bit gruesome, but her large icy grey eyes, button nose, and smooth lips made her look very very...

Bull shook his head vigorously, urging the thought he was about to have had to be forbidden from crossing his mind. His horns went about wildly and the elf took a step away from the man. "We should catch up with the others. I need to find my room or tent or whatever."

Ellana tilted her head in confusion at his sharp change of interaction, but the Qunari did not see, marching his way forward across the frozen lake which was not the way Sera and Cassandra had gone.

"Be careful!" Ellana shrieked, half amused still and half anxious that his weight would break the ice. On light feet she made the distance that the Iron Bull had left between them. But her footing was not as delicate as she had thought, the ice was not as thing as she thought either but it was extremely slippery. So, by her luck, she fell on her ass.

"Agh!" Ellana let out a cry as her head hit hard against the ground. The crash had Bull spinning around, nearly slipping himself. He made his way as fast and as cautiously as possible to the fallen elf.

"You alright there, Boss," He knelt down to her, his thoughts of her beauty and her lips so full and lush gone, and the man went into full medical mode. She had hit the back of her skull hard, hard enough to have been cracked.

The elf stirred but did not open her eyes. "I think my head is leaking,"

Bull used his massive hands to lift her head up, so tiny in comparison. Ellana took a breath, expecting pain but only feeling how delicately he touched her. Indeed, she was bleeding. "Better get you to a healer. You're probably going to need to be stitched up."

Ellana rose an eyebrow and opened one eye. She knew very well of stitches and healers, having had her fair share of lethal cuts. "Sounds like a joy,"

The Qunari managed a smile. He knew that she would be unable to stand and walk herself the short distance that remained to Haven, so he moved his hand from under her head to down her shoulders, sitting her up slowly. With the other arm he swung her legs up to his chest simultaneously with her torso.

"I could've handled myself," She muttered against his chest sounding sleepy.

"I'm sure you could have, but just to be safe let me help," Bull started his way on the outer edge of the lake, getting a foothold on the land. A safer route to the village.

"I suppose, it is fine for you to help," Ellana said softly, then her breathing slowed, eyes closed, and she was asleep. Head trauma tended to do that to a person, or elf in this instance. The Qunari held her close but just so there would be no way of her slipping out of his grasp, not romantically, no no no! Still, as he walked the snow covered ground he looked down at her sleeping face taking in her beauty and her scars, slowly down to a mild pace then stopping completely. The man gulped loudly.

"Shit,"

* * *

The Chargers had arrived the day previous and were awaiting eagerly for their Chief to return to them and join them for a drink at the tiny little tavern that Haven had (which the Chantry discouraged greatly). Krem waited outside the gates of the village as soon as the Seeker Pentaghast had made her entrance, knowing that the Herald and his Chief would not be far behind.

He heard Bull before he saw him. And what he saw made his stomach churn. Not with worry or happiness but something that he had never experienced with his friend before. Jealousy. Krem turned away from the sight of Bull holding onto Ellana and went to the tavern to find the hardest ale he could find.


	5. Chapter 5

"_Mamae!" Crash! Screaming echoed through the Dalish camp. "Mamae! Help!" _

"_Sister!" A dark skinned elf, beaten and bruised, was being taken away by humans with wildness in their eyes. _

"_Huntress!" Her apprentice hunters were being rounded up by the same humans of a kind but these ones held weapons to their necks, some of their ears already cut off and lay on the ground, Mabari hounds chewing on them aggressively._

"_Ellana! Help us!"_

* * *

The Herald of Andraste woke spasmodic, tremors racking her thin body and a cold sweat clinging to her skin. She sat up quickly in her bed, making her head ache and spin. Her heart pounded querulous against her chest. The room in the chantry was black as night adding to the elf's confusion and panic. A trenchant pain struck the elf in the back of the skull, and she cried out, tears streaming down her face. She bent over her bedside and emptied what little was in her stomach.

"Lady Lavellan? May I enter?" It was one of the healer's followers. As her pain grew her cries progressively grew in volume. The healer's apprentice entered without an answer and unwrapped a gruesomely bloody bandage from around her head. It relieved the ache for a moment but for only a moment. And then she was full out bawling, the remnants of the dream in the forefront of her mind and the pain gaining on her willpower.

"Maker," The healer uttered to himself in alarm. Then there was shouting for guards just before Ellana fell comatose.

* * *

The Chargers were having a celebratory night due to the return of their leader. Everyone was in very high spirits, except for the Chief's lieutenant.

Cremisius sat against the brittle wall of the tavern listening to his company's' festivities and focusing his eyesight on the mug in his hands.

"What's up with you, Krem?" The Iron Bull asked. It wasn't unlike for his friend to be on the quiet side but to be outright silent was another thing completely. There was a worry eating at the innards of the Qunari, about Ellana that was, but for the night he ignored it. He had handed her off to the healers hours before and she had seemed fine if a bit tired, but blood had soaked through her cowl onto his chest. Thusly he cleaned himself off and met up with his friends at the tavern. Now he wasn't so sure this had been a good idea, since Krem was in a mood.

"Oh, don't mind him, Bull. He's just got his knickers in a twist," Rocky said from down the table, already inebriated.

"Shut your mouth, Rock," Krem growled.

"Krem," Bull had grown serious but the other man did not meet his eye. "Talk to me. Do you not like it here or something?"

Skinner smirked. "Oh, I'd say he likes it here _a lot_," Krem looked up from his mug and shot the elf a menacing scowl. She didn't cower underneath his gaze, nor did she with any human, she merely turned and continued her conversation with Dalish, the only other female elf in the chargers. Bull took a notice of this. He also noticed how Krem looked at the she-elve's and suddenly it dawned on him. "Is this about the Herald?"

The Lieutenant turned his death glare onto his commander which confirmed his suspicions.

"What? You have a problem with her?" Bull asked him. Krem had turned to look out the window at the setting sun, refusing to meet his eyes. Over the few days that they had spent together the Iron Bull was already protective of the tiny elf.

"Nothing, she's," Krem trailed off his though just as he saw a group carrying a small figure off to the apothecary.

"You have a crush on our employer?!" Bull roared. He had remembered teasing the man about it days previous, but for it to be true… and for him to be having the same possible feelings… Bull had captured Krem's attention long enough for his armored fist to land a blow onto the Qunari's hooked nose, breaking it with a crunch. The quaint tavern was minding its own business up until this point; all eyes turned to the two. Bull merely cupped his nose, swelling, bleeding, stood up and walked away. No retaliation. It wasn't his thing. Not when it came to Krem.

The noise around The Chargers returned after an awkward beat, the tavern returning to it's gossips.

The Lieutenant shook his head at himself, ashamed that his anger had gotten the best of him. This was his best friend that he had just openly punched in the face. And for what? Once he finished off his drink he too exited the tavern.

* * *

Ellana was face down on a cot while Adan took out the stitches he had sewn onto her scalp earlier in the day. The pain hadn't subsided but rather a mage, must to the woman's dismay, casted a spell so she wouldn't feel anything. Other healers were standing around the cot waiting to be instructed to grab this or that for their leader.

Suddenly, the door to the small cabin burst open, and there was another patient to be attended to.

The spell cast by the stupid mage had not only made the elf not feel anything but it made everything… fuzzy. She couldn't hear what the healers or Adan, who liked her greatly (mostly for gathering herbs and recipes from the Dalish that he had never heard off), were saying as they worked on her head. She didn't dare go back to sleep however, against her will to do so. The nightmare had been too real, too possible after the reports had been sent by the Keeper.

Across the room the Iron Bull was sitting down head bent over a bucket, letting the blood drip freely. A female mage healer told him to wait until it stopped bleeding (after she had set it rather harshly making him curse through gritted teeth) and alert them when it did so, then she went back to assist Adan.

"Who's that over there?" Bull asked curiously to anybody willing the listen. The crowd surrounding the cot didn't move at his call, one merely replied, back remaining turned with, "Keep your voice down, if you would please,"

The elf however had heard the question, clear as a bell. "Bull?" She stirred and Adan nearly lost his grip on the knife at the back of her head. "Stay still, My Lady,"

"Is that Iron Bull?" She asked almost drunkenly. The elf squirmed on the cot, suddenly finding it to be uncomfortable and only added to her pain.

The female healer that had instructed Bull answered her. She pressed the elf's shoulders rather forcefully down to the cot, allowing Adan to continue his work. "Yes, My Lady, please remain still,"

"Can he come sit by me?" The elf requested, an unseen pout on her face pressed hard against the rough canvas of the cot. Slowly the female healer lessened her pressure on her back. Each of the healers exchanged looks wondering what had gotten the Herald so, well, friendly. Most thought she was either a hardcore bitch or a noble hero. Either way she did not make friends and was not to be bothered, as she had put it herself on the first day she had been declared a non-prisoner of Haven.

Adan shrugged and motioned for the Qunari to bring his seat and bucket over to the operating cot. Bull did so fairly easily, most of the blood having slowed to a stop. Putting the chair up against the wall he held onto one of Ellana's dangling hands as if it were second nature to do so. "I'm here, Boss,"

Ellana sighed happily and felt herself losing battle with sleep, the warm hand of the Qunari rough against her smooth. Unlike the canvas fabric it was a nice opposite. Complementary.

Once she was out for good Adan explained to Iron Bull what exactly happened when he had brought her in earlier that day. At first things didn't seem to be in that bad of shape, a minor cut to the back of the cranium. He stitched her scalp back together and had her sent to her room for rest, but then, when she had awoken half an hour or so prior, her bandages had gone septic and if she hadn't have cried out, the infection would have spread. So now they took out the stitches and were applying a sealing saulve to the cut, praying to the Maker for the best. Thereafter hearing this, Bull asked, "Is she going to be okay?"

Adan cleaned the blood of the elf off of his hands in a basin. "It's hard to say. We just have to see how she will react to the saulve." He wiped his hands dry on a cloth. "My cabin is just outside. Holler if anything is happening, or if she wakes up,"

When Adan had left, Bull gripped the elf's hand in both of his giant ones. This was one situation where simply couldn't bash something up and everything would be solved, nor was this something that diplomacy, however far fetched for him to do so, would fix.

And for the first time in his life, the man prayed. It was aloud and more to himself than to any deity yet he prayed. He prayed that this woman would survive through this. She was no kid. She was strong and powerful. No mere child at all. Iron Bull prayed, explaining that this accident was a fluke and that she had greater things to accomplish, the breach and this unknown dick that killed the divine for example. He didn't know all her stories but he wanted to. And if the Maker or Andraste or whatever fucking god wouldn't save her for him, then maybe for the Inquisition instead.

"For what's it worth, _So Let It Be_," Bull finished his prayer. There was a moment of absolute and resonating silence. Bull shook his head and felt ridiculous speaking to the air. He opened his eyes to a magnificent sight though. The bloody wound began to clean itself, the skin knitting together and her hair fell neatly over the wound that was no longer there. At that instant-

"You know I'm not Andrastian, right?" Ellana, smiling sweetly, turned her head up from the cot to look at a befuddled Bull. That's when Bull yelled for the Healer.


	6. Chapter 6

_Two Weeks Later _

The events that took place at Therinfal struck a deep cord with Ellana. She couldn't shake the Envy demon's presence inside of her head for a great deal of time afterwards. Magic had never been to her liking, demons being the linking to that reason. To have one in her head, know her memories, her desires, and then go on to play them all out in front of her in the worse possible scenario was ultimately horrible.

However Cole was something completely different. Unlike any demon she would've ever met before, the spirit was young and seemed almost lost in the real world, grasping at straws with words written in verse. The Herald had found it not only charmingly innocent, but beautiful. Immediately she had taken a liking to him, most incidentally because he aided her in escaping the Envy demon's dream. When he had popped in on the war council (literally appearing from thin air), the elven woman nearly jumped in front of his body to protect him from the blades of Cassandra and Cullen. He was only a child in her eyes.

But before she could defend him, he was gone. Pale face, blond hair and all.

"I think it's time, Herald," Cullen said as soon as Cole had made an elusive exit from the room, but she was barely listening. There was a report clutched in her armored hands. She rarely took to reading the reports, finding it to be either a) none of her concern or b) thinking she had better things to do with her time then listen to the worries of shemlen.

Now was a different situation. "My clan," Ellana said softly. The conversation about the sealing of the Breach was at the moment halted.

Josephine looked idly above her board at the little marker in the Free Marches, no notice of the Herald's change in demeanor. "Yes? Your Keeper, is it?, contacted us. What would you like for us to do, My Lady?"

Ellana read and reread the report. There was no mention of her family. Of her sister. Of him. Her throat tightened. They probably all thought that she was being tortured for information or was already dead. What if they had held a funeral already? A slight cough rumbled up her slim throat, forcing her voice to work. "What do you propose?"

Each council member proposed a plan of action to aid Clan Levellan, and each sounded as reasonable as the next.

"Just help them in any way you can," Ellana said turning and leaving the war council befuddled. The effort Cullen had made to bring up the closing of the breach was out of everyone's minds.

* * *

Bull, Ellana, Krem, and Cassandra now sat at the bar in the tavern being waited on eagerly by Flissa. Cassandra and the elf had become increasingly close since their adventure to the Storm Coast. The same could be said for Krem and Bull, the spat that had happened in the same said tavern had been easily forgotten and forgiven by both parties. They did not regard the conversation of their feelings for the elf, nor did they set ground rules when it would come to woohing her, if that should ever come around.

"Your clan things you're our prisoner?" Krem asked the Herald who was still shocked at receiving any news at all from the Keeper. Ellana nodded her head and Krem gently held her hand earning himself a look from both the Iron Bull and Cassandra. "Do you miss them?"

Ellana nodded again, the piercing in her ears rattling against each other making a soft trickling noise like that of wind chimes. In her awe and anxiety, the elf had pulled out her braided updo, her lengthy hair spilling over her armor and down her back.

"Did you have family?" Krem continued his pursuit in trying to get the Herald to say anything, anything at all. Next to him the Iron Bull quietly kicked him. It was none of their business, and if she should share it, it shouldn't be wriggled out of her like a secret.

"Yes," she muttered quietly. "Never knew my parents though. My Keeper raised me. Like a mother she is to me." Now that she had started to speak it appeared that she could not stop. "I have a sister. Not really my sister, but she's the Keeper's daughter. Keeper's aren't supposed to have children. It wasn't her fault though."

No one asked how it wasn't her fault and didn't press for more, yet the Herald of Andraste continued to talk, her eyes growing misty from remembering. "I hate her, my sister. She is so naive, so unaware of how lucky she is. To know her mother, to be blessed by the creators to have magic at her fingertips. To be an apprentice rather than a hunter. To be out of harm's way when the bandits come about." At this moment Krem squeezed the hand of Elllana. She shook her head, as if only realizing for the first time that he was holding onto her. Quickly, the elf pulled her hand away and left the tavern without another word.

"What do you think she means by that?" Krem asked the other two. Just then Bull smacked the back of the Tevinter's head. Hard.

"You had to go and make it worse, didn't you?" And then they began to quarrel. Harsh words were used and low blows were thrown. They maintained a mild tone so as to not arise any other patrons in the tavern.

Cassandra watched the two argue but in her head she was thinking, comprehending and unraveling the words that her friend had said. "These bandits are quite bothersome to her clan. I've read many reports."

The two men halted their bickering for the Seeker to explain. The woman shook her head. "They are the stuff of nightmares. I can only imagine what her Keeper may have gone through, but that's not something I want to think about."

"Her Keeper was raped, you think?" Krem asked the lady who seemed shaken.

"Yes," Her accent was heavy and sad sounding. Cassandra looked out the window behind Flissa, seeing the elf walk off towards the lake possibly going to speak with the Inquisitions new spirited member. What she didn't say, what she didn't think it was her place to say or even suggest was that, the Seeker didn't think that the Keeper was the only in her clan to have to deal with such a crime or the reprimands.

* * *

Hiking through the Hinterlands to help the refugees, Cassandra had still not shared her opinion. Instead the Seeker studied the Herald. After convincing the Horsemaster on the outskirts of the village to come attend to the horses with the Inquisition, the group traveled south to finally make camp as the sun had begun to set. With the Herald other was Cassandra, Varric, and Solas, just how it was before going to Val Royeaux over two months ago. By the fire the Seeker watched her friend eat eagerly, the scar on her left cheek moving up and down as she chewed. When the men had gone to bed, Cassandra worked up the nerve to speak to Ellana.

Ellana was sharpening her new sword affectionately, Cass cleaning off her boots.

"Herald,"

"Hmm?" The elf was happy with the day's events, pleased with the acceptance of Dennit. And then the Seeker asked turning her happiness sour.


	7. Chapter 7

"Fenharal ma-halam!" shouted the tiny elf at Solas. Her face was turning a deep shade of maroon and her arms were pressed hard against her sides as if an unknown force were restraining her. Contrastly, the man's expression was utterly and annoyingly calm. Oh, how she would love to wipe that serene composure off of his face. Come to think of it that's all she had wanted to do since the day they had first met.

"Enta dirthara-ma, _Da'len,_" The apostate countered, turning on his heel away from her.

Almost subconsciously Ellana switched back to common tongue. "Don't you walk away from me, Flat-Ear!"

A gaggle of townsfolk had gathered at the entrance of the tavern and on the steps leading to the infirmary. The shouting of the Herald could be heard from Josephine's office deep inside of the Chantry all the way to the Armory. Everyone knew that something was happening, but what exactly it was no one could say for sure.

Cassandra and Cullen, coming together back from training, were standing far off from the scene as Solas yelled a reply at her. Just when Ellana sprung to attack the back of the turned man, they pounced into the dramat.

"Na din'an sahlin!" shrieked the Herald as Cullen pressed her, chest to chest, against one of the cabins in order to keep her at bay. This was a mistake on his part. She thrashed in utter fury against his grip, strands of hair falling out of her loose ponytail. Before Cassandra could shout for him to let her go (she was ushering Solas to move to the safety of the Chantry), the Commander found out then just how strong the small Dalish elf was. In a swift move, Ellana bit the ear of the man to get him to pull away from her. With iron taste in her mouth and crimson on her lips, the elf then kneed him in the abdomen causing him to double over. Having the wind knocked out of him, Cullen sucked in a breath but lost it again just as surely when Ellana struck a hard blow onto his backside with her bony elbow making him fall flat onto the ground, finishing him off.

"Ellana, stop!" Cassandra drew her sword as the elf made for the way past her. The elven girl stopped, anger blazing in her eyes knowing that she was no good against a blade. She wore no armor, only a cotton shirt rolled at the elbows and leather trousers coated in dirt. Even though the two were friends, Ellana was well aware that the Seeker would take her down if need be. But this was not the elf's first encounter being defenseless and in her right state her experience would not fail her.

She gave Cassandra a warning, a spot of Cullen's blood dripping down her chin. It was much like a scene of a mad dog skirmish. Behind the elf Cassandra could see some healers tiptoeing to the fallen man's side. "Step aside,"

"I cannot let you pass," Her sword wavered, not from poor strength but from her waning nerves.

"He insults my heritage," Ellana growled through gritted teeth all the while looking for the woman's weak points in her stance. It took only a few moments for the elf to find a plan of attack.

"Many will do this to you, Herald. It is time you learn this."

"I really wish you people would stop treating me as a child," At that instant the elf swiped her foot under the Seekers legs causing her to fall hard on her ass. Instead of knocking the warrior down a second time as she had done to the other before, Ellana took a sprint pace to the Chantry, but before she could get very far ran into a wall.

No, not a wall. A mass of flesh. A mass of flesh that had stepped out at the last second so it could take her without struggle.

"Boss, calm down." Two meaty hands grabbed her arms, holding her in place. The Qunari was much too strong for her to wiggle her way out.

"Let go of me!" screamed the elf directly into the Iron Bull's face as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. With his free hand he wiped the flecks of spit off of his cheeks. Over her cries of protest Bull shouted at the by-standers to return to their business, slightly irritated that none of them had done anything. Then again he would be terrified to go up against the Herald, too. He thought this while he carried the kicking elf off to his tent, paying no attention to the bruises she was implanting in his backside.

"Bull, let me go!"

He ignored her.

"Misal Di'nan! AGH! FUCK YOU!"

The Qunari nodded his hello to a Templar taking a break from training at the gate to Haven. The Templar regarded the elf with a slack jaw.

"Bull, as your employer-"

They entered the excessively tall tent.

"Stop, Boss. It's done." Ellana's body was still tense as he sat her down on his wooden cot. At any moment she could bolt past him. The massive Qunari sat on the ground across from her watching her curiously with his eye. Now that her heart had calmed some she noted the strands of hair falling her face. Slightly embarrassed at how rugged she must of looked, she took out the hair tie and let the remnants fall around her petite shoulders. The long locks covered most of her rosy cheeks camouflaging the skin there as they took their time turning back to their natural porcelain complexion. A long strand stuck itself to her chin, clining to Cullen's drying blood. It was minutes before either of them talked. Ellana was studying her nail beds while Iron Bull stared at her, uncaring if that may have been taken as rude.

"You wanna talk about it?"

Ellana shook her head once.

"You going to apologize to him?"

Ellana shook her head twice.

"You want me to leave?"

Hesitantly she looked into his dark eye, then shook her head a third time. Her eyes flickered back down to her hands that sat in her lap.

The Qunari thought for a moment before getting an idea. He stood and held out his hand to her. "Let's go for a walk."

Some time later, after she had cleaned off her dirty face, Ellana and Bull were walking side by side around the frozen lake, a wool blanket wrapped around the elf. She did not look at him again as they talked about nothing too cumbersome.

"Do Qunari have families?"

"Yes and no," He went on to explain about the Tamaserans, and Ellana let her mind imagine that to avoid thinking about home and her own family. The Tamaserans were healers and, at least according to Iron Bull, were much friendly than the healers at Haven. They performed some requests to satisfy the needs of others in the Qun. Needs of the sexual sort and to regulate population.

"Wait, are you saying that you can't get married under the Qun, have a relationship?" The elf stopped, and, this time, did look at him, eyebrows raised.

"We don't need to," Bull shrugged.

Ellana tightened the blanket roughly around her shivering body. It gave her chills to think about not having love. She didn't want to offend her companion so she continued walking as if it didn't bother her. Soon Bull followed.

"So you've never made love before?" Bull considered this for a moment. The elf swallowed, attempting to wet her parched throat. If she had been alone she would have simply picked up the snow and shoveled it into her mouth. But around the strangers of Haven, even as close as she was to some, she found herself especially self-conscious. The ways of the Dalish, how naturalist they were, were frowned upon even in this less civilized town. As they walked in the deep snow she treaded lightly on the balls of her feet, one habit that she would not be able to break easily.

"I mean is it so bad to just pop in and have someone-" He started to make a thrusting motion and Ellana turned bright pink in the face almost up the tips of her ears.

"I don't know," Ellana interrupted. "I mean, I-I wouldn't know."

The Qunari eyed her curiously, yet said nothing. An awkwardness hung in the air like a stifling heat. "Who do you think should lead the Inquisition?"

Ellana offered a noise that sounded to be a half laugh half scoff. Was that his way of defusing the tension? "Why do you ask me these things?"

"Because you should think about them," Bull replied plainly. "The Inquisition has a good game plan, but it has no leader, no 'Inquisitor',"

"What about Cassandra?" Ellana thought about the Seeker that she had left in the dirt back at Haven and a wave of guilt flooded her. Another shiver rocked her body.

"She seems too…" Bull struggled with a word to describe the fierce woman, but Ellana nodded her understanding.

"Maybe I should,"

A hint of a smile made its way onto the man's lips, but he hid it expertly. Besides the elf was more worried about the rocky area they were passing rather than her friend. He offered his hand to her as they crossed. Ellana accepted, surprised at herself and the gentleness of his grip. She took note of the slightly fingers that had missing nails. "Why's that?"

Ellana leaped off the last rock gracefully, pulling Bull down with her. He stumbled but brushed the dirt off of his pants quickly. The girl looked at him with her large, luminous silver eyes through thick blonde lashes. "Every other advisor has their head up their ass or is too concerned about their own opinion over the common interest. I'm willing to do what I need to."

This time Bull grinned and she returned a shy smile. They began to return to Haven, walking a little closer than before.

"And as Inquisitor you can set me up with all the good liquor right?"


End file.
